SUMMARY As recruitment was only recently initiated we have data on 18 women: 8 African-American women, 4 African women and 6 white women. With this small sample size it is necessary to combine the 8 African-American women and 4 African women into a single group, i.e. women of African descent. Even with this small sample size the women of African descent are more insulin resistant that the white women. Specifically the insulin sensitivity index is lower in the African descent women than white women (2.91.4 vs. 5.42.0, P=0.01). In addition, triglyceride concentrations were paradoxically lower in the African descent than white women (5210 vs. 6611, P=0.02). Yet fasting glucose concentrations did not differ by race (937 vs. 916, P=0.56). Therefore even with this small size, expected race differences are detectable in insulin resistance and triglyceride levels. We look forward to having in the upcoming year an expanded dataset and comparing the 2 groups of African descent women to each other. In addition, when data on hepatic fat content and hepatic glucose production are available the key determinants of fasting triglyceride and glucose levels should become more clear and help inform the design of improved screening tests for the early detection of diabetes and heart disease that are effective and valid in white women and women of African descent.